Are you a fan of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales? Chefs are traveling back in time to explore recipes from antique cookbooks, texts, and ancient manuscripts. When is the last time you nibbled on spiced pigeon and savory porridge? View this issue for autumn recipes, pumpkin carving techniques, and more.
October 1, 2011
The Menu
Meet the Gourd Family
The cucumber, melon, pumpkin, and squash are all members of the Cucurbitaceous plant family. Here is the inside scoop on tips for buying winter squash at your local farmer's market or grocery store.
Acorn -- A petite deep-green black squash that is also referred to as "Table Queen."
Buttercup -- This bright-orange colored flesh squash is perfect for baking because of its sweet flavor.
Butternut -- This multipurpose squash can be baked, simmered, or steamed. Bring it on!
Delicata -- Steamed or roasted, this is a tasty winter squash with a sweet and starchy flesh.
Hubbard -- This is a hefty squash that weighs over twenty pounds. If you want to practice weight-lifting, this squash is for you.
Kabocha -- Densely textured, rich, and sweet best describe this buttercup-like variety. The name kobocha translates to squash in Japanese.
Orange Hokkaido -- Shaped like an orange teardrop, this squash is nicknamed the "Red Kuri" and contains hints of chestnut flavors.
Visit New York magazine's website for details and photos here.
Chaucer and Cuisine
Chefs are traveling back in time to explore recipes from antique cookbooks, ancient Roman texts, and Renaissance manuscripts. Influenced by the slow-food movement, several restaurants feature recipes that have been "unearthed from the past." Hestor Blumenthal, a chef based in London, has quite the specialized dining menu at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hyde Park with items like snail porridge, savory porridge, and rice and flesh.
Historic-menu ingredients are typically more expensive, so chefs usually create these home-prepared meals for reservations-only tastings or special events. Author Francine Segan published a book on updated Renaissance recipes called Shakespeare's Kitchen. How does she summarize our ancestors' eating habits? "People ate more parts of the animal and more parts of a plant that today we'd throw away," says Segan.
Dessert sounds like a more enticing option than a stuffed dormouse.
View the article here, courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
New Educational Television Special
Elmo, Grover, and Bert have a new friend named Lily. Sesame Workgroup, the non-profit educational organization that produces Sesame Street, created a primetime television special entitled, "Growing Hope Against Hunger." The one hour special aired in early October and featured the new character Lily whose family is facing ongoing struggles with hunger.
This special is part of a bilingual, multicultural outreach initiative called "Food for Thought: Eating Well on a Budget." The program is designed to help support families with children between the ages of two through eight who are coping with limited access to affordable and nutritious food.
View the official press release here.
The Specials
Sweet Autumn Treat
October is recognized as National Apple Month. Visit the Serious Eats website here for an apple butter recipe that will tempt your taste buds with hints of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. The recipe is pure deliciousness.
Dia de los Muertos
The lives of friends and family who have departed are honored in "Day of the Dead" celebrations. As a part of this tradition, specific dishes are placed on a table that resembles an altar. The offerings are meant to help feed the traveling souls. The traditional dish, pan de muerto, is sweet bread that is designed to look like bones. Learn more here.
Top Food and Wine Cities in America
TripAdvisor is the world's largest travel site that nominates the top food and wine cities every year. Would you like a hint for the 2011 top winner? Think spicy gumbo, beignets, and chicory coffee. Click here for more than just the answer.
New Professionals Networking Event
Meet and mingle with New Professionals from the New York Section on October 27 at The Brazen Fox in White Plains, New York. For more information, email Lisa.Tirino@Kraftfoods.com or Mohamed.BadaouNajjar@pepsico.com.
Is your IFT section hosting an upcoming New Professionals event? Submit your event info for the next issue of Eat Your Words. Email newprofessional@ift.org.
Video Challenge
As an official partner with MyPlate, IFT wants to challenge you to create short videos (approximately 30 seconds) about how you are adding more fruits and veggies to your diet without spending a lot of money. You'll have the chance to win up to $1,500 in each category: tips for kids; tips when eating at home, and tips when eating away from home. You'll be judged on the quality of the idea, implementation of the idea, and the potential impact on healthy eating habits. Get started now because the contest ends November 15, 2011. Interested in learning more details? Visit http://fruitsandveggies.challenge.gov/.
Nominations for IFT Achievement Awards
IFT is now accepting nominations for the 2012 Achievement Awards, Marcel Loncin Prize, and IFT Fellows, which recognize individuals and teams for their remarkable contributions in research, applications, and service. To learn information about the nomination process and criteria, visit the IFT Awards and IFT Fellows websites.
Food Policy Impact Conference: Register Now
Establishing food regulations and standards is critical to ensuring the safety and wholesomeness of our food supply. IFT's first-ever Food Policy Impact Conference, an expansion of the former Food Law & Regulations Division and the IFT Washington, DC Section mid-year meeting, brings like-minded individuals and organizations in food laws, regulations, and policy together. This one-day conference on December 1, 2011 is designed to provide attendees with practical learning that will make an immediate impact in 2012 with regards to food safety, product tracing, food marketing, and more. To learn more information about this conference including registration details, click here. Please direct all questions to knowledge@ift.org.
New Professional Snapshot: Suraya Gabel
Snapshot of my life now:
I work as a Lab and Research & Development Coordinator for Chicago Processed Fruit Group (CPFG). I specialize in quality assurance, product development, and technical sales. I volunteer with the Chicago Section New Professionals group, Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund, Youth in Service, and prepare meals at food shelters in Chicago. Some of my hobbies include boating, flying trapeze, playing with my dog at the beach, and attending Chicago Bears football games.
How did I get interested in food science?
My curiosity and obsession with food and nutrition began at age twelve when I was diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus. After meeting a really interesting dietician who trained me on how to use an insulin pump, I decided to pursue a degree in dietetics at the University of Illinois-Urbana- Champaign. I switched my major from dietetics to food science after attending a food science club meeting hosted by my college's Association of Food Technologists (AFT). It is one of the best decisions I have made so far in my life!
How does my job impact the world?
I am constantly amazed at the capacity of business my company conducts on a day to day basis. We work with nearly every continent to procure juice products that end up in the hands of food companies across the world.
What are three things you don't know about me:
- In September 2010, I tried to attend the 200th year anniversary of Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. Despite getting really sick and not being able to attend the festival, I still purchased a dirndl which is the traditional dress worn in Austria and Bavaria.
- I own a five year old Cocker Spaniel named Mint Julep. By far, she is one of the weirdest dogs in the world. I sometimes think she must be part Tasmanian devil!
- I own more than 150 pairs of shoes.
What is my favorite Halloween candy?
I LOVE Milky Way candy bars!
What was my favorite childhood Halloween costume?
I designed a Jack-in-the-Box costume. It only consisted of a cardboard box, paint, glitter, and some belts, but I was really proud!
The Side
College Bowl Trivia ...
The College Bowl is an annual food science quiz hosted by the IFT Student Association. Teams from universities around the country compete regionally for the chance to contend in the finals at the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo.
Let's see how well you will do ... ;
Q1: Name six cuts of prime beef.
Q2: Kirsch is a brandy made from which fruit?
Q3: What is the most abundant amino acid in the human body?
Salty Snack
Roasted pumpkin seeds are a healthy snack high in protein and vitamins. Sprinkle the seeds with sea salt, olive oil and enjoy! Click here for the recipe.
The Great Pumpkin
Would you like to learn how to carve the perfect pumpkin? Visit the Serious Eats website here for a tutorial. Trick-or-treat!
Answers to college bowl trivia:
A1: Brisket, Chuck, Flank, Rib, Short Loin, Sir Loin
A2: Cherry
A3: L-glutamine